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New Pool going out of town...help!

So I just bought a 18/54" pool and the water will be filled in about 5 hrs. I don't have a test kit as I just found this awesome forum and ordered a kit from Amazon.

There are obviously no chemicals in the water yet and I want to do the BBB method I've read about here as it seems easier to understand. My question is what do I do first since I don't have a test kit to direct me. All I have are the strips that the pool store gave me and the pucks from the pool store in the chlorinator.

To top it all off I'm leaving on a business trip for 5 days beginning this Tuesday! Man I didn't realize how stressful a pool would be lol.

Re: New Pool going out of town...help!

Do you have someone who can come and pour in some liquid chlorine/bleach everyday? Its possible that enough pucks would cover you for 5 days, but thats not an area of knowledge for me. The other thing you will need is stabilizer/CYA to prevent the sun from burning off the chlorine as quickly. You can get it from Walmart. Use poolmath to calculate the dosage to get to 30. Also see if your pH is in the mid 7's. If so you can worry about the other chemistry levels when you get back and have a good testing kit.

Re: New Pool going out of town...help!

Welcome DBG! Basic rule of thumb when filling-up a new pool: Start adding stabilizer right away using the "sock method" Granule stabilizer in a sock placed in your simmer or in front or a return jet. It takes about a week to register on a test, so that works for when you return.

Add bleach each day, about 1/2 - 1 gallon each day. As noted above, ideally someone could add it for you. If not, then a tablet or too in a floater won't hurt for now. Your water is new and you'll be back in time to remove them since your CYA is low and just starting.

You can adjust your PH if you wanted to since that's a fairly common test, but again, only if you have a good means to check the level.

Finally, please add your pool info to your signature by going to the top of the TFP web page (just under the Pool School button) and select "SETTINGS". On the next page look to the left for a menu bar that says, “MY SETTINGS” and go to "EDIT SIGNATURE" to enter your pool and equipment info there. It will help us later.

Re: New Pool going out of town...help!

Originally Posted by Texas Splash

Welcome DBG! Basic rule of thumb when filling-up a new pool: Start adding stabilizer right away using the "sock method" Granule stabilizer in a sock placed in your simmer or in front or a return jet. It takes about a week to register on a test, so that works for when you return.

Add bleach each day, about 1/2 - 1 gallon each day. As noted above, ideally someone could add it for you. If not, then a tablet or too in a floater won't hurt for now. Your water is new and you'll be back in time to remove them since your CYA is low and just starting.

You can adjust your PH if you wanted to since that's a fairly common test, but again, only if you have a good means to check the level.

Finally, please add your pool info to your signature by going to the top of the TFP web page (just under the Pool School button) and select "SETTINGS". On the next page look to the left for a menu bar that says, “MY SETTINGS” and go to "EDIT SIGNATURE" to enter your pool and equipment info there. It will help us later.

We're happy to have you with us!

Thank you everyone for the help. Like I said..awesome forum! I will update the sig soon.

The pool store gave me a "starter kit" that includes 1lb of "Chlorine stabilizer".Is this what you're talking about? Should I use the sock method with these granules? Is 1lb enough?